Christian Television Sucks
I am very happy to be a Christian believer. i don't have a problem telling anyone that i follow Jesus Christ. If they don't like it that's ok. I attend church to worship regularly and fellowship with believers too. But what I have a major problem with is Christian tv stations, satellite networks, big name gospel preachers, teachers, evangelists, bishops, deacons, and elders. They have (here comes a Chris Crane quote, so write this one down) "More dollars than sense, and at our expense". If I paid tithes to a church, it certainly would not be by mail to any of these over inflated egomaniacs on tv today. As I was sitting here trying to kick start my writing for today I turned over to DayStar and TBN, and CBN. UHG!!!. Rod Parsley was on, spitting and sweating all over everything, walking around like a proud rooster of his hen house. He's a Christian believer... and the example people see of Christianity when they are flipping channels.

When I first accepted Christ I watched all of these tv stations, because after all they are christian.. they are talking about Christ aren't they? they are reading the bible on tv.. that's good right? But is it enough, when the world laughs at them and calls our representatives a joke. Then we're considered a joke. and ulimately Jesus is considered a joke. Simple faith doesn't require an allegiance to any of these TV guys. Faith is what happens inside when you accept who Christ really is. Turn the TV off and open the book for yourself. Then take the stuff you read and apply it to your life. Go and worship in some small Christian bible teaching church, somewhere you like, and you'll never need a big auditorium faith healing prophecy prayer meeting fellowship hall devotional reading minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ ever again.

Chris

Living the Infinite

Today I want to share some ideas I have about life. Well, not this life. Or even the afterlife - although that will come into play later in the discussion. I have some beliefs that may seem contraversial to those in more puritanical christian circles. This is my belief about our life before this one. Not reincarnation. The bible is very specific on that point.. it says "Once is a man appointed to Die, then the judgement" So this place we call home is a one shot deal. You either get it or you don't, it's up to you. The life before this life has to be explained carefully. First, I need to make sure you and I understand we are talking about our eternal soul. Who you are, encased in an earth suit of human flesh from the time our body is conceived till the time that body dies off in whatever form or fashion. This soul, yours for example, is eternal. Not infinite, but certainly eternal. We are all the creation of God. We existed in Heaven before we got here. (What? Chris is on drugs now.. explain that one.) It's easy. Even the bible tells us so. Check this out: Here's a list of all the verses in the bible that talk about our life before our life.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[10] who[11] have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Eph. 1:3, 4 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love…"

Eph. 1:5 - "…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."

Eph. 1:11 - "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..."

Eph. 2:10 - "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them."

2 Tim. 1:9 - "…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…"

Psalm 139:16 - "...your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Prov. 8:22-23 - "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began."

John 6:44 - "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."

1 Cor. 2:7 - "No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began." (See also Heb. 4:3)

1 Pet. 2:9 - "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."

Eph. 2:8-10 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Jer. 1:5 - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Acts 17:26 - "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."


Ok soak those in and look for part two of this message next....
Peace,
Chris